​Weathering the Storm with the WP#212

Where did the first quarter of the year go? It is already April, and it seems that time is flying by faster. Is it just me or are feeling it also. It was last week this time, when I returned from London for a series of meetings and a conference on an area of Europe is for the most part, less frequented that the usual places including where I live. How many of you have been the Balkans or SE Europe. If you raised your hand or said, yes, good for you as there are so special places in these regions. Perhaps, you have done a river cruise on the Danube which will allow you to touch a number of these countries, or you spent time in Croatia which is probably the best known of the Balkan countries, but SE Europe and the Balkans have so much to offer, and generally, these places are more unknown, and less costly than their western brothers and sisters. I have been to many including Albania, but no all, so I still have some travelin’ to do. ​

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Other than getting home late on the last Wednesday of March and, this has been a busy, albeit normal week, if there is anything that one can call normal. It is spring and spring has sprung, or at least Europe went on European Summer Time this past weekend, so the time differences are now the same as they were a few weeks back when places in North America went to Daylight Savings time. All I know is that, yes, I was tired, but not having to been somewhere last weekend and simply getting up to work on travel projects, go to the local market for my fresh fruits and vegetables, it was a normal weekend. Rosa guided, and does so most days, as the wealth of travelers increases here in Rome in this Jubilee Year. And, truthfully, I have seen improvements in the infrastructure, but then the Eternal City wanted to put on a good show. We will in June, July, and August when the throngs of people arrive to get their fill of pizza, pasta and the Colosseo. ​

Each morning as I sit at my desk, going over the days program as it were, and also shuffling my teaching schedule, I look out as the trees once again gain their leaves, the birds with their routines, be it pigeons, gulls, crows (or blackbirds, not sure which) and the parrots. Yes, there are parrots here in Rome and perhaps, I had mentioned this before. Any they are noisy as all the birds, as they go through their routines each day. I also, when I went for my private lesson yesterday, not see my cormorant at the little lake, but maybe it was just too cold. Yes, spring has sprung, and it is April, so I guess showers are the norm, so as they say, April showers bring may flowers, but it rained a lot here, even more so than when I was in London last week, so the end of March’s rain continues. ​

It has not been warm really with temperatures hovering in the high 50’s F. It was, at times, in February, warmer than now. I am not complaining about this, but I know how hellishly hot it will be in July and August. Thank goodness for A/C this year will be the first test of its usefulness, but that is still a way away, and if the first quarter of this year, 2025 flew by so quickly, summer will be here “tomorrow”, well maybe not. Beware of what you wish for. All I know is I am excited to start welcoming clients back to Italy in May, seeing my worldly possessions be delivered sometime this month and enjoy the fruits of my labor and my home life. Finding personal time between what I do and what Rosa is doing these days is a challenge, but we will, as we have figure this out. ​

In any case, that was the week it was, and I try to in limited fashion, as it impacts my travelers, what is happening in the world. For now, travelers are welcome here and people understand the difference between people meeting people from different cultures and the black clouds that seem to ever befall the DC area and fumes coming out from there. I am one who simply wants to live my life, earn my living, pay my fair share, and have the government not get in my way. I am glad I am here and given what I hear, I will deal better with the Italian bureaucracy, as crazy as it is compared to the insanity I hear from friends, colleagues, clients about what is going on. You are welcome here across the pond, so do shy away from traveling and spread the good word that good people do. We all want to be happy and live our lives and not fear for our lives. ​

Thank you as always for reading my musings and the support for our crazy life and world here in Italy. Stay healthy, safe and, most importantly, happy, as that is what I believe we all strive for, happiness, however you define it. Until next week, and I totally forgot that yesterday was April Fool’s Day, but I am not a fool and know I am in the right place in my life. Happy April and Happy Spring everyone.